BAY CITY, MI – Deonte Brown, a 13-year-old heading into 7th grade at T.L. Handy Middle School, was hanging poolside with a circle of friends at the Bay County Community Center Monday. On his way over to the diving board, he said his favorite pastime at the pool is "to jump off and do tricks."

He ended up landing a perfect front-flip in the deep end.

"I like to swim," Brown said, adding that he's at the pool "every day."

A handful of kids, like Deonte, were at the Bay County Community Center, 800 John F. Kennedy Drive, on Monday, June 16, splashing around the pool, minutes after it officially opened for the summer. In addition to children and parents enjoying an escape from the heat, the pool deck played host to a special ceremony that stands to get even more people in the water.

Summer pool hours

The Bay Community Center pool opens for the season on Monday, June 16 or earlier this year and will remain open until the end of August. An exact closing date has yet to be set. Here is a look at pool hours and admission this season:

Hours

• Noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday

• Noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays

• Closed Sundays and rain days.

Admission

• $4 for ages 17 and younger; $50 for a summer pass

• $5 for ages 18 and older; $75 for a summer pass

• $150 for a family summer pass

• Free for infants and non-swimmers

• $2 for all swimmers on Thursdays; per Carbary's fundraising efforts, swimmers 17 and younger will be admitted for free.

Jim Carbary, a Kawkawlin Township resident and U.S. Army veteran, raised funds to help provide free Thursday admission to the pool for the entire summer for kids ages 17 and younger. On Monday, he presented a check worth $3,200 to Bay County officials on behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6950 and Ladies Auxiliary, which helped organize the fundraiser.

Carbary, whose efforts have provided kids' free Thursdays since 2010, said he was happy to see so many kids at the pool already.

"Kids (are) coming by talking, adults coming by saying 'Hi, Jim,'" he said. I don't know who they are, but they know who I am."

Cristen Gignac, recreation and facilities director for Bay County, was pleased to accept the donation.

"It's going to give so many children an opportunity to enjoy and come to the pool this summer," she said. "It is such a generous donation, and we're pleased to give so many kids the opportunity to swim."

Pool-bound bus route

Bay Metro Transit will provide busing services to the pool from locations in the Bay City area on Thursdays through mid-August. Here's an updated schedule:

Bus Stops and Times

10:55 a.m. at Bay-Arenac Community High School (the former Hughes Elementary School), 805 Langstaff, in Essexville.

The schedule is subject to change. Fare is free for riders 17 and younger, $1 for riders 18 and older, and 50-cents for the disabled and those 60 and older.

A bus also departs the pool at 4 p.m. and runs the route in reverse.

David Dunn, commander of VFW Post 6950 and pastor of Kawkawlin Community Church, said he was proud to see Carbary put so much effort into the fundraiser, adding that the pool is a valuable asset in the community that helps keep kids busy through the summer.

"Honestly, without Jim spearheading this, without Jim doing all the leg work, this program wouldn't be in existence," Dunn said. "I couldn't be happier to have a comrade in the post that cares so much about kids."

In addition to raising funds for free Thursday admission, Carbary also raised $640 to help set up a Bay Metro bus route to the pool, which will provide free fare to kids 17 and younger. An adult fare is $1, said Eric Sprague, general manager of Bay Metro Transit, and 50 cents for those disabled or 60 years and older.

The bus route is subject to change.

The bus then departs the community center at 4 p.m. and runs the route in reverse.

Carbary's fundraiser is still accepting donations, he said. Those interested in donating to the VFW's efforts can send a check or money order made out to the post's "pool program" to VFW Post 6950, 132 E. Beaver Road, Kawkawlin, MI 48631, marked to the attention of John O'Keefe Sr., quartermaster. Donations can be made indefinitely, Carbary said, and are tax-deductible.

Carbary said that funds collected through the summer will be used to help fund future pool programs, and could also be used for a fall project , currently in planning phases, that could help bring autistic and disabled children from Bay City Public Schools to the pool at the Dow Bay Area Family Y for one hour per week.

Temperatures on Monday were ideal for swimming, with muggy temperatures reaching 86 degrees.

Claudia LaFray, a Freeland resident, was at the pool with her two grandchildren on Monday afternoon. As she watched them play, she said it was her first time at the pool

"It's beautiful," she said, adding with a laugh, "As long as my grandkids are happy, I've done my job."

—Sam Easter is a general assignment reporter for The Bay City Times. He can be reached at seaster@mlive.com.